You ask me Why I Love Her?
Well, give me time and I'll explain.
Have you seen a Kansas sunset
Or an Arizona rain?
Have you drifted on a bayou
Down Louisiana way?
Have you watched a cold fog drifting
Over San Francisco Bay?
Have you heard a bobwhite calling
In the Carolina pines,

Ken H. Leung
Or heard the bellow of a diesel
At the Appalachia mines?
Does the call of Niagara thrill you
When you hear her waters roar?
Do you look with awe and wonder
At her Massachusetts shore,
Where men who braved a hard new world
First stepped on Plymouth's rock?
And do you think of them when you stroll
Along a New York City dock?
Have you seen a snowflake drifting
In the Rockies, way up high?

Dale Gehrman
Have you seen the sun come blazing down
From a bright Nevada sky?
Do you hail to the Columbia
As she rushes to the sea,
Or bow your head at Gettysburg
At our struggle to be free?
Have you seen the mighty Tetons?
Have you watched an eagle soar?
Have you seen the Mississippi
Roll along Missouri's shore?

Rudi Reichardt

Have you felt a chill at Michigan
When on a winter's day
Her waters rage along the shore
In thunderous display?
Does the word "Aloha" make you warm?
Do you stare in disbelief
When you see the surf
Come roaring in at Waimea Reef?
From Alaska's cold to the Everglades,

John Mitchum
was nominated for a Grammy in 1973 for his moving and heartfelt
"America, Why I Love Her,"recited by universally recognized
American Icon, John Wayne. At the height of the conflict in and
about VietNam, this LP sold around 100,000 copies in it's
first week. The LP was re-issued once more by RCA in 1979 when
the Duke passed on.

On July 4th, 2001, Big John Records (named for
"Big" John Mitchum) released a short run of digitally
remastered CD versions of "America, Why I Love Her,"
being careful to retain the warmth that the original recording
imparted. Shortly after September 11 of that same year Michael
Wayne of Batjac productions (the Duke's son and production
co.), in cooperation with Waleed Ali and Maleek Ali of MPI Media,
released a newly-remastered CD nationally.

Now, to give special recognition to the author,
John Mitchum, who left us in November of 2001, and to bring particular
attention to the National
Poem Campaign,
Big John Records is releasing a limited edition memorial version
of this classic recording.

Also, with each sale Big John Records will donate
a portion to The Arlington Project to reforest Arlington National
Cemetery in coordination with the Branson
Veterans Task Force and TreesAmerica.